If, like Scrooge, you dream of Christmases gone before, this market will magically transport you like the ‘Ghost of Christmas Past’ into a bygone era of white Christmases, hearty food, carol singers, parlour games and even a pre Coke Santa still dressed in green.

Before the advent of traditions like the popular ‘falling asleep in front of a Bond film on Christmas afternoon after lunch’, people had to put up with a strict lifestyle of bawdy music halls, hearty food and joining in with carolers – or at least that’s what the organizers of this market, held in Portsmouth’s Naval Base would have us believe. And all in several inches of snow – is that the same snow that Grandad always tells the story of having to walk the five miles to school in with bare feet after eating only bread and gruel every day?

Organisers do warn to be wary of pickpockets though, Fagin and his band are apparently out in force – though you’re likely to get your wallet back for a song – “gotta pick a pocket or two chums” – and there are a host of other themed characters who will help you get over your 21st Century prudence about singing and dancing in public.

Of course there’s also the shopping and eating and drinking that you’d expect from a Christmas market, and the tree and the lights, but just done up in more petticoats.

Written by  World Reviewer Staff.

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